Instant Playhouse fix snabbteater at a furious pace

Can you describe the ”Instant Playhouse as the theatre's equivalent to instant coffee? Five playwrights each get their substance and four hours to write a 15 minute play. Then it's time for five different directors to portray the text, together with actors and a production team consisting of set designer and costume designer. Already within 24 hours is the time for the first performance, before a paying audience.

It is the fourth year that teaterarbetare gather at the Playhouse in Stockholm to create the uplifting the performing arts at a furious pace – the proceeds going to charity. All participants set up on a voluntary basis and this year's surplus is sent on to SOS children's villages.

finished his tour with the play ”Shirley Valentine” and is next to the current front of the camera in Colin Nutleys miniseries ”the Wedding, funeral and baptism.” On the ”Instant Playhouse" she is part as a director.

" It's going to be intense and demanding. The actual process looks much like the usual, but is very compressed. I work mostly as an actor and has not worked as director in this way. But I think it fits me to create something based on certain conditions. I am the mother of one four and used to improvise, make the draft budget and make emotional decisions, " says Maria Lundqvist.

– I have a need of control to a certain extent, but when it comes to art, I like to lose control. We are not out on tour with a production design that must hold for a round the world. As a director I will have a trust to actors as thinking and empathetic artists, which is actually not all directors have. We will probably be laughing quite a lot along with the audience. I see it as a happening – so exposed and vulnerable, but at the same time playful you will never see an actor otherwise, " says Maria Lundqvist.

there is also, among others, the actor Lia Boysen.

– It will be very liberating and fun to just throw yourself into something. I do most movie and tv otherwise, but there you may be also many times adapt to the new conditions on the road. So some experience of improvisation, I have, in spite of everything! says Lia Boysen.

It is the first time she's involved yourself on the stage, but Lia Boysen says she was elated after his own visit to the ”Instant Playhouse” in 2016 and that she longs for a venue to vent their profession. She sees it as a workshop with high ceilings.

– and More! Bengt Ohlsson, I think, is an amazing author. When I was on the ”Instant Playhouse” we talked with each other afterwards about how amazing the whole concept is – that we must find new forms for the theatre. I think he has been with every year, " says Lia Boysen.

" I don't really know. During the five performances we had a hedgehog who marched straight across the stage and stole all the attention. The managed to do it at about the same time each time, but then had yet to find new variants to improvise around it, " says Lia Boysen.